Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has admitted that the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was a painful disappointment, but says the team’s reaction since then offers real encouragement.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Ghana did not feature at Africa’s flagship tournament, having finished bottom of their qualifying group for the finals in Morocco. It was a rare low point for one of the continent’s most consistent footballing nations.

Speaking to Metro TV, Okraku did not hide his frustration at the absence.

“AFCON, for me, is a given. We have to be there,” he said. “If we are not there, that is the low side of our sport.”

Yet the GFA president was quick to shift focus to what followed the disappointment. He praised the Black Stars for regaining their footing and securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Okraku pointed to the team’s improved consistency in competitive fixtures as a key positive.

“In 2025, the Black Stars did not lose a single competitive game. That gladdens my heart,” he said.

Ghana will return to football’s biggest stage this year in a challenging Group L, where they will face Panama, England and Croatia. After missing out on AFCON, the World Cup now represents an opportunity for the Black Stars to restore pride and reassert themselves on the global stage.

For Okraku, the message is clear: while the AFCON absence hurt deeply, the response has shown resilience and the focus is firmly on making the most of the chance ahead.